Crystal CrawfordDec 31, 20203 minWriting Guides and TextbooksThough I've always been a fiction writer, my first online writing endeavors were actually mostly nonfiction. While working as a Graduate...
Crystal CrawfordSep 19, 20203 minOvercoming Writer's BlockAll writers encounter writer's block from time to time. Here are 4 simple techniques to get those words flowing.
Crystal CrawfordSep 19, 20204 minFear: A Writer's Worst EnemyMany of the reasons writers give for not writing are chiefly motivated by one element: Fear.
Crystal CrawfordFeb 17, 202027 minSo What Is Arameth, Exactly?A brief tour of Arameth, to show you what emerged from this world and how it all came together.
Crystal CrawfordAug 10, 20191 minIf You Write Fiction, This Is for You!Announcing my new "crash course in fiction writing" guide!
Crystal CrawfordNov 19, 20185 minPlantsing: How Loose Outlines Save My Turkey… and My BooksIf you’ve followed any of my series on Plotting, you know that I like plotting.But here’s my secret: I didn’t use to plot my stories at all.
Crystal CrawfordNov 12, 20183 minPlotting Your Story, Step #7: The Perfect EndingHi, everyone, and welcome to the final post in my “Plotting Your Story” series: Plotting Your Story, Step #7: The Perfect Ending!
Crystal CrawfordNov 5, 20187 minPlotting Your Story, Step #6: Detailed OutlineHi, everyone, and welcome to post #6 in my “Plotting Your Story” series: Plotting Your Story, Step #6: Detailed Outlines!
Crystal CrawfordOct 29, 20185 minPlotting Your Story, Step #5: RevelationsHi, everyone, and welcome to post #5 in my “Plotting Your Story” series: Plotting Your Story, Step #5: Revelations!
Crystal CrawfordOct 22, 20185 minPlotting Your Story, Step #4: Thematic ThreadsToday’s post is the next in the Plotting Your Story series: Plotting Your Story, Step #4: Thematic Threads!
Crystal CrawfordOct 15, 20185 minPlotting Your Story, Step #3: External Story (Plot)Today’s post is the next in the Plotting Your Story series: Plotting Your Story, Step #3: External Story (Plot)!
Crystal CrawfordOct 8, 201812 minPlotting Your Story, Step #2: Internal Story (Characters)Today’s post is the next in the Plotting Your Story series: Plotting Your Story, Step #2: Internal Story (Characters)!
Crystal CrawfordOct 1, 20184 minPlotting Your Story, Step #1: PremiseToday’s post is the first in the Plotting Your Story series: Plotting Your Story, Step #1: Premise!
Crystal CrawfordOct 1, 20181 minPlotting Your Story: How to Craft a Complex, Compelling Story That Keeps Readers Turning the PagesHi, everyone, and welcome to my blog post series… Plotting Your Story: How to Craft a Complex, Compelling Story Plot!
Crystal CrawfordJan 15, 201810 minSecrets of “Show, Don’t Tell”: What It Really Means and How to Do It WellA question I'm asked repeatedly: What about “Show, Don’t Tell”? How do I do it? What are the rules?
Crystal CrawfordOct 30, 20174 minWhat to Do When Writing SucksWhat to do when it suddenly feels like writing sucks and you wonder why you ever decided to do this in the first place.
Crystal CrawfordOct 26, 20172 minShould You NaNoWriMo?Here are some things to consider before committing to the crunch of 50,000 words in November.
Crystal CrawfordOct 26, 20173 minHow to Succeed at NaNoWriMoa brief bullet-point list of some of the things I learned from my frenzied first-time NaNoWriMo experience...
Crystal CrawfordOct 16, 20176 minHow to Self-Edit Your WritingA good self-edit can make a huge difference in your writing, but only if you know how to do it well. Here are 7 tips to help you self-edit..
Crystal CrawfordOct 6, 20176 minTitles and BlurbsA quick bullet-point list of tips for choosing a title and writing a blurb--these are essentially the notes from a live Writers Chat I did..